Raiders RT Donald Penn says he'd be 'shocked' if Derek Carr is traded

With the NFL draft approaching, speculation surrounding the Raiders’ quarterback situation is rising. Coach Jon Gruden has a bevy of draft picks to play with, but he also has a QB that has previously played at an MVP-level in Derek Carr.

Veteran offensive tackle Donald Penn said he likes what he sees from the two leaders, however, and doesn’t foresee a QB switch happening any time soon. Here’s what he said on the subject, according to NFL media’s Nick Shook.

“I’d be shocked if something like that happened,” Penn said of a potential trade of Carr. “Their relationship is so good. They work together so well. Derek Carr makes a mistake at practice, he’s correcting Gruden before Gruden even has a chance to correct him sometimes. They’re on sync like that. It’s pretty neat to watch.”

But Penn understands the speculation that encircles his QB. He points to Gruden’s reputation, which stretches back to the coach’s first stint with the Raiders and also to his time with the Buccaneers. Penn has known Gruden since 2007 when he broke into the league in Tampa Bay.

“[It’s] because of the perception of Gruden,” he said, per Shook. “Gruden is the type of coach, he’s going to get on you. He’s going to yell at you. He’s going to cuss at you. He’s going to tell you when you’re wrong. But when you’re right, he’s going to be the first one there to praise you and tell you when you’re right … And at the end of the day, they’re going to work together. I’ve never seen anything where I thought it would be anything different than them coming back together.”

There is still plenty of work to do for Gruden and his quarterback. Carr needs to get better at some aspects of the west coast offense, and the roster around him needs to improve drastically. Only then will Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock know precisely what they have at the QB position. But unless the Raiders find a signal caller worth investing in, it seems Carr and Gruden are compatible and will work toward greatness together.

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